How to find quality candidates between two outstanding people?

The situation shared is probably no stranger to those who have been working in the field of human resource recruitment. So when we have to choose between two equally talented candidates and both impress with intelligent answers, what should we do?

Many people joke that they can flip a coin to decide and they will be satisfied with the outcome, but there is a much better way to decide between two good candidates. Let's see what the experts have to say on the matter.

“When finding quality candidates between two standout people, looking at them from multiple angles and examining their abilities can help you make a decision about who to choose.”

Tips to find quality candidates between two outstanding people

Weigh and measure individual skills

“Before we start hiring, we all have a list of skills and experience that candidates need. Based on these criteria, we will have a specific assessment for each person. So when this happens, we have all the data to compare to determine who deserves a job offer.

It's easy to say and simple, but you don't have to work hard to do it. We need to dig deeper, not just see how many criteria they meet, and consider the importance of skills. For example, a sales candidate A has 6/7 skills and candidate B has 4/7 skills but has experience selling the company's products. At this point we can decide that candidate B – who has real combat experience – is a better choice for the job than candidate A, who has only the necessary skills” –Sales Manager share.

Discover who wants the job the most

“An important determining factor for finding candidates is their enthusiasm for the job and the company in general. We should make an offer to someone who will be excited to work because they are more likely to do a good job and stay longer.

True enthusiasm is hard to hide, especially in face-to-face meetings. If you don't pay much attention to the candidate's enthusiasm during the interview, think back to what they asked during that time. Between the two of you, who has more questions about how the company works, who wants to dig deeper into the work, who is more interested in career development, who has more questions about co-workers? and the factors they need to work with the team better… Small details like this will help us decide who is selected” –Recruitment Specialist commented.

Test your ability to do the job

“One of the best ways to choose between two top candidates is to give them a task. Ideally, the job should be directly related to what they would do if hired. It could be writing an article or designing a banner. Tests like these are great for seeing who can more easily take on a job's roles and responsibilities, and who can do better, especially under pressure.

Better yet, some companies even allow candidates to work half a day in the office. This gives them hands-on experience with the company culture, with the day-to-day work and makes it easier for us to make decisions.” –Director of Human Resources expressed his opinion.

Make decisions based on experience and intuition

“Sometimes, despite the data, evidence, and objective reasoning, we still can't make a choice on which side to take. At this point, I choose to trust my intuition.

Although I know that when recruiting and finding candidates, emotions should not interfere because it is easy to be biased and make wrong decisions. However, when it comes to choosing between two well-thought-out heavyweights, intuition is what we can think of.” –Headhunter confided.

Why not both?

While this isn't always possible, there are situations, such as sales, where two great new hires can make a double impact.

The simple reason is that it is very difficult to find good people. Staffing needs can change quickly, and we may find ourselves in need of more people shortly. Moreover, hiring both top candidates will prevent your competitors from getting the person you would have eliminated if you only hired one of them” – Human Resources Assistant.

Whether selecting one or both candidates, it is essential to provide prompt and direct feedback. If you only choose one, remember to respectfully decline the other and keep in touch for future vacancies. What we need to do here is to find candidates based on informed selection, not breaking connections, especially potential employees.